JP7007959B2 - Transport device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a transport device used when an object to be transported is transferred from either one of the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion to the other.

Conventionally, for example, a trolley (carrying trolley for a container) described in Patent Document 1 below is known, and this trolley is provided in the vicinity of a trolley body having an opening and the four corners of the lower surface of the trolley body. It is equipped with casters.

By the way, for example, when the transported object consisting of a group of containers in which a plurality of containers are stacked is transferred from the conveyor as the first mounting portion to the trolley, the operator pushes the transported object to load the trolley. Although it is moved to the mounting surface, if the object to be transported is heavy, the burden on the operator is heavy, and there is a possibility that appropriate remounting cannot be realized.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-980

Then, there is a demand for a transport device capable of appropriately remounting the transported object at the time of remounting the transported object.

The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and an object of the present invention is to provide a transport device capable of appropriately remounting an object to be transported.

The transport device according to the present invention is a transport device used when the transported object is transferred between the first mounting portion and the mounting surface of the trolley which is the second mounting portion, and the conveyed object is transferred. The transporting means is provided with a transporting means having a transporting unit for transporting, and a driving means for rotating the transporting means in the vertical direction. This is the first state in which the bottom surface of the object to be transported is supported, and the second state in which the transport portion does not protrude upward from the mounting surface of the trolley due to the downward rotation and the trolley is allowed to move. ..

According to the present invention, the transported object can be appropriately replaced.

It is a schematic block diagram of the transfer apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. Same as above It is a plan view of the transport device. It is a front view of the same as above. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. (A) and (b) are the front view of the main part of the same as above. (A) to (c) are operation explanatory views in the case of transferring the object to be conveyed from a conveyor to a trolley by using the same transfer device. (D) to (f) are operation explanatory diagrams following FIG. 7. (G) to (i) are operation explanatory diagrams following FIG. It is a front view of the main part of the transfer apparatus which concerns on other embodiment of this invention.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9.

In FIGS. 1 to 6, 1 is a conveyor, and the conveyor 1 has either a conveyor 2 as a first mounting portion or a trolley 3 as a second mounting portion. It is used when the object is transferred to the other, that is, for example, when the object W to be transported is transferred from the conveyor 2 to the carriage 3.

The transported object W is, for example, a vertically long rectangular parallelepiped heavy object composed of a container group (article group) in which a plurality of containers containing goods are stacked.

The conveyor 2 is, for example, a low-height roller conveyor installed on the installation surface (floor surface) 5. The conveyor 2 includes a plurality of conveyor rollers 6 for transporting the object W to be transported in a horizontal transport direction, and a conveyor frame 7 for supporting the plurality of conveyor rollers 6.

Further, the conveyor 2 includes a stopper 8 located in the vicinity of the transport end portion of the conveyor 2 and a stopper cylinder 9 for raising and lowering the stopper 8. Then, the stopper 8 rises due to the extension operation of the stopper cylinder 9 to be in a regulated state for restricting the movement of the transported object W in the transport direction, and descends due to the contraction operation of the stopper cylinder 9 to cause the transported object W. It is in a permissible state that allows movement in the transport direction.

Of the plurality of transfer rollers 6, a predetermined number of transfer rollers 6 located on the transfer end side of the conveyor 2 are free rollers, and the remaining transfer rollers 6 are drive rollers. That is, for example, as shown in FIG. 7A, the seven transfer rollers 6 (6a) on the transfer end side of the conveyor 2 are free rollers, and the remaining transfer rollers 6 (6b) are drive rollers.

The trolley 3 is, for example, a transport trolley capable of traveling on the installation surface 5 in any direction. The bogie 3 includes a bogie main body 11 having a rectangular shape in a plan view in which an opening 10 is formed in a large opening in the middle portion (central portion), and casters 12 which are traveling wheels provided near the four corners of the lower surface of the bogie main body 11. It is equipped with.

The upper surface of the dolly body 11 is a flat mounting surface (carrying object mounting surface) 13, and the transported object W is mounted on the mounting surface 13. In addition, convex portions 15 are projected on three sides of the mounting surface 13 of the trolley 3, and thin disk-shaped non-slip portions 16 are projected at a plurality of locations near the openings 10 on the mounting surface 13. Has been done.

The transport device 1 has a transport means 21 that transports the object W from the conveyor 2 in the same direction as the transport direction of the conveyor 2, and a horizontal rotation center axis (orthogonal to the transport direction of the conveyor 2). It is provided with a driving means 22 that rotates in the vertical direction around X.

The transport means 21 and the drive means 22 are supported by one common base body 23 having an L-shape in a plan view, and the base body 23 is fixedly installed on the installation surface 5. As an example, the transfer direction of the object to be conveyed W is the same as the transfer direction of the conveyor 2.

The transport means 21 is a rotating shaft that is rotatably supported by a plurality of shaft support portions 24 of the base body 23, has an axial direction in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the conveyor 2, and is rotated by power from the drive means 22. 26, a support frame 27 as a pair of supports fixed to the rotating shaft 26 and facing each other, and an object W erected on both of these support frames 27 to be conveyed in the same direction as the conveyor 2. It has a free roller 28 which is a transport roller as a plurality of rotating bodies.

The non-drive type transport unit 30 is configured by these plurality (for example, three) free rollers 28. The two shaft support portions 24 fix the rotating shaft 26 to the base body 23 so as to sandwich the transport portion 30 of the transport means 21 in between. Further, the two shaft support portions 24 fix the rotating shaft 26 to the base body 23 so as to sandwich the connecting arm 37 between them. The rotating shaft 26 is supported by at least these three shaft support portions 24 and fixed to the base body 23.

Each free roller 28 has a roller shaft 31 erected on both support frames 27, and a cylindrical roller body 32 rotatably supported by the roller shaft 31. Further, both support frames 27 that are separated from each other and face each other are connected to each other by a plurality of connecting rods 33.

The drive means 22 has a cylinder (for example, an air cylinder) 36 which is a stretchable drive source, and a connecting arm 37 for connecting the cylinder 36 and the rotating shaft 26. Further, the cylinder 36 has a cylinder body 38 and a rod 39 that goes in and out of the cylinder body 38, so that the base end portion of the cylinder body 38 can rotate to the cylinder mounting portion 40 of the base body 23. Attached, the tip of the rod 39 is rotatably connected to the tip of the connecting arm 37.

Then, when the cylinder 36 performs an extension operation, the connecting arm 37 is pushed out in conjunction with the extension operation, and the rotation shaft 26 rotates in one direction. Therefore, the transport means 21 rotates based on the extension operation of the cylinder 36. Due to the upward rotation about the moving shaft 26, at least a part of the transport portion 30, that is, for example, only the upper end portion of the plurality of free rollers 28 is above the mounting surface 13 of the trolley 3 from the opening 10 of the trolley 3. It is in the first protruding state (see FIG. 6A).

That is, the transport means 21 is in the first state in which the transport portion 30 projects upward from the mounting surface 13 of the carriage 3 due to the upward rotation based on the operation of the drive means 22.

Then, in this first state, the upward protrusion dimension A of the transport portion 30 with respect to the mounting surface 13 is larger than the upward protrusion dimension B of the non-slip portion 16 with respect to the mounting surface 13. In other words, the clearance dimension (for example, about 5 mm) between the mounting surface 13 of the carriage 3 and the upper end of the free roller 28 is larger than the thickness dimension of the non-slip portion 16 of the carriage 3.

Further, in this first state, the upper ends of the plurality of free rollers 28 (the transport surface of the transport unit 30) are located above the mounting surface 13 of the carriage 3, and the plurality of conveyor rollers 6 of the conveyor 2 are located above the mounting surface 13. It is located on the same surface (including substantially the same surface) as the upper end (conveyor surface of the conveyor 2). At this time, the portion of each free roller 28 other than the upper end is housed in the opening 10 of the carriage 3.

On the other hand, when the cylinder 36 contracts, the connecting arm 37 is pulled back in conjunction with the contraction operation, and the rotation shaft 26 rotates in the other direction opposite to one direction. Therefore, the transport means 21 uses the cylinder 36. Due to the downward rotation around the rotation shaft 26 based on the contraction operation of the carriage 3, all of the transport portions 30, that is, for example, the entire plurality of free rollers 28 come out downward from the inside of the opening 10 of the carriage 3, and the carriage 3 travels. The second state allows (movement) (see FIG. 6 (b)).

That is, the transporting means 21 is in the second state in which the transporting portion 30 does not protrude upward from the mounting surface 13 of the carriage 3 due to the downward rotation based on the operation of the driving means 22.

Then, in this second state, the upper end of the most upstream free roller 28 among the plurality of free rollers 28 is located below the lower surface 11a of the carriage main body 11 of the carriage 3. Further, the lower end of the most downstream free roller 28 among the plurality of free rollers 28 is located above the installation surface 5, and the free roller 28 does not abut on the installation surface 5 (hence, the installation surface 5). There is no need to provide a recess in the).

As described above, the transport means 21 can be selectively switched between the first state and the second state by the vertical rotation based on the operation of the drive means 22 by using the opening 10 of the carriage 3. Then, when the transport means 21 switches from the first state to the second state, the transported object W on the transport unit 30 is slightly lowered and is mounted on the mounting surface 13 of the carriage 3. ..

Further, the transport device 1 abuts on one side surface (front surface in the insertion direction of the trolley 3) along a direction parallel to the transport direction (replacement direction) of the conveyor 2 among the four side surfaces of the rectangular trolley 3. The elongated plate-shaped first positioning body 41 and the other side surface (the side surface in the insertion direction of the trolley 3 and the convex portion 15) orthogonal to one side surface of the trolley 3 at a position separated from the transport end portion of the conveyor 2 by a predetermined distance. It is provided with an elongated plate-shaped second positioning body 42 that abuts on the side surface on the existing side).

Then, a region surrounded by three directions by the end plate 2a of the transport end portion of the conveyor 2, which is the end portion of the first mounting portion (end portion in the transfer direction), the first positioning body 41, and the second positioning body 42. However, there is a dolly insertion area (inner area) 43 that is open only in the remaining one direction, and the dolly 3 is removably inserted into the dolly insertion area 43. The insertion direction and the removal direction of the trolley 3 with respect to the trolley insertion region 43 are directions orthogonal to the transport direction of the conveyor 2.

Further, as is clear from FIG. 1, a part of the rotating shaft 26 of the transport means 21, the support frame 27 and the free roller 28 are located in the carriage insertion region 43 in a plan view, but other than the rotating shaft 26. The unit and the driving means 22 are located outside the carriage insertion region 43 and on the side of the first positioning body 41 in a plan view, more specifically, in the vicinity of the outside of the first positioning body 41, and the driving means 22 is the first positioning body. The body 41 and the longitudinal direction (which is also the expansion / contraction direction of the cylinder rod) are oriented in the same direction. The other part of the rotating shaft 26 and the driving means 22 located outside the bogie insertion region 43 are covered with a box-shaped cover body 44.

Here, the first positioning body 41 is composed of a plate-shaped member having a longitudinal direction in a direction parallel to the transport direction of the conveyor 2, and has an installation plate portion 46 fixedly installed on the installation surface 5 and its installation. It has a positioning plate portion 47 erected on the plate portion 46. Further, a notch 48 is formed in the first positioning body 41, and the rotation shaft 26 and the base body 23 are inserted through the notch 48.

Further, the second positioning body 42 is composed of a plate-shaped member having a longitudinal direction in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the conveyor 2, and has an installation plate portion 51 fixedly installed on the installation surface 5 and the installation plate. It has a positioning plate portion 52 erected on the portion 51, and an inclined guide plate portion 53 connected to the positioning plate portion 52. Then, the guide plate portion 53 guides the trolley 3 toward the trolley insertion region 43 when the trolley 3 is inserted into the trolley insertion region 43.

Next, a case where the object W to be conveyed is transferred from the conveyor 2 to the carriage 3 by using the transfer device 1 will be described.

First, as shown in FIG. 7A, in a state where the empty carriage 3 travels in the insertion direction and is inserted into the carriage insertion region 43, the object W to be conveyed is conveyed in the conveying direction by the conveyor 6 of the conveyor 2. Be transported.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7B, when the object to be transported W comes into contact with the stopper 8 and stops at a predetermined position, the operator operates a predetermined button (not shown).

Then, as shown in FIG. 7 (c), the transport means 21 rotates upward based on the operation of the drive means 22 to enter the first state (advanced state), and as a result, the upper end portion of each free roller 28 is a bogie. It protrudes above the mounting surface 13 of 3. Further, the stopper 8 is lowered to allow the transported object W to move in the transport direction.

Then, in this state, the operator manually pushes the object to be transported W on the conveyor 2 to move it in the transport direction.

Then, as shown in FIGS. 8 (d) to 9 (g), the transported object W is of the transported object W by the transport roller (free roller) 6 of the conveyor 2 and the free roller 28 of the transport means 21. The conveyor is transported in the transport direction until the lower end of the front surface in the transport direction abuts on the convex portion 15 of the carriage 3.

At this time, the lower surface (bottom surface) of the object to be transported W is supported by the free roller 28 and moves in a position near the upper side of the mounting surface 13 of the carriage 3, but comes into contact with the non-slip portion 16 on the mounting surface 13. Do not (sliding).

Here, as shown in FIG. 8D, when the front end portion of the transported object W in the transport direction is placed on the most upstream free roller 28 among the plurality of free rollers 28, the center of gravity G of the transported object W is , Located above the conveyor 2. For the sake of explanation, the center of the rectangle in the side view of the object W to be transported is considered as the position corresponding to the center of gravity.

After that, the center of gravity G is located above between the conveyor 2 and the transport means 21 as shown in FIG. 8 (e), and the center of gravity G is located above the upstream side of the transport means 21 as shown in FIG. 8 (f). Through the state, the center of gravity G is located above the most downstream free roller 28 among the plurality of free rollers 28 as shown in FIG. 9 (g), and the transported object W abuts on the convex portion 15 of the carriage 3. Stop. The distance between the position of the most upstream free roller 28, which is the most upstream position of the transport unit 30, and the most downstream free roller 28 of the conveyor 2, which is the most downstream position of the first transport unit, is the length in the transport direction of the object to be transported. It is shorter than 1/2 of (length in the transfer direction).

Since the transported object W is transferred from the conveyor 2 onto the transporting means 21 in this way, the front side of the transported object W is located on the free roller 28 before the center of gravity G is separated from the conveyor 2, so that the center of gravity G is located. While the position of is transferred from the conveyor 2 to the free roller 28, the front side and the rear side of the transported object W are supported and the tilt of the transported object W is prevented. Further, since the center of gravity G is always located on the free roller 28 after being transferred onto the transport means 21, the transported object W is prevented from tilting.

Further, in the state shown in FIG. 9 (g), the center of gravity G of the transported object W is located above the most downstream free roller 28, but at this time, the most downstream free roller 28 is located at the center of the carriage 3. Therefore, the center of gravity G of the transported object W is also located at the center of the carriage 3.

Then, when the operator operates a predetermined button (not shown) in this state, the transport means 21 rotates downward based on the operation of the drive means 22, as shown in FIG. 9 (h), and the carriage 3 As a result, each free roller 28 is retracted from the opening 10 of the carriage 3 and is arranged between the lower surface 11a of the carriage body 11 and the installation surface 5.

At this time, the object W to be transported on the free roller 28 of the transport means 21 is slightly lowered and mounted on the mounting surface 13 of the carriage 3 with its center of gravity G aligned with the center of the carriage 3.

Next, as shown in FIG. 9 (i), the worker takes out the dolly 3 on which the transported object W is placed from the dolly insertion region 43 by traveling in the taking-out direction, and then uses the dolly 3 to cover the dolly. The transported object W is transported to a predetermined place.

Further, according to such a transport device 1, since the transport means 21 that can rotate up and down and the drive means 22 that rotates the means up and down are provided, the burden on the operator can be reduced and the conveyed object W can be conveyed to the conveyor. It is possible to appropriately and stably transfer from 2 to the trolley 3, it is possible to appropriately cope with an increase in the weight of the transported object W, and it is safe because the transported object W does not tilt at the time of transfer.

Further, since the other part of the rotating shaft 26 having an axial direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the conveyor 2 and the driving means 22 are located outside the carriage insertion region 43 and in the vicinity of the first positioning body 41 in a plan view. The drive means 22 does not interfere with the insertion and removal of the carriage 3 into the carriage insertion region 43, and the carriage 3 does not interfere with the drive means 22.

Further, the rotation center axis X of the rotation axis 26 intersects (orthogonally) in the transfer direction which is the transport direction of the conveyor 2, and the carriage 3 is in the rotation center axis direction with respect to the carriage insertion region 43. Even if the rotating shaft 26 is installed on the same surface as the traveling surface (moving surface) of the caster 12, the caster 12 does not interfere with the rotating shaft 26 when moving. , The dolly 3 can be safely taken in and out of the dolly insertion area 43. In addition, since the shaft support portion 24 for fixing the rotary shaft 26 to the installation surface 5 is provided at a position sandwiching the transport portion 30 of the transport means 21, the rotary shaft 26 is more firmly fixed to the base body 23. can do.

Further, since the connecting arm 37 and the driving means 22 are arranged outside the bogie insertion region 43 and on the side of the first positioning body 41, the connecting arm 37 does not interfere with other objects and the rotation shaft 26 is sufficiently rotated. The angle can be secured.

Further, since the transport means 21 and the drive means 22 are supported by one common base body 23, the device can be made compact, and the installation work is easy because there is no need to assemble on site.

Further, in the first state of the transporting means 21, the protruding dimension A of the transporting portion 30 with respect to the mounting surface 13 is larger than the protruding dimension B of the non-slip portion 16 with respect to the mounting surface 13, so that the transporting portion 30 is to be transported. When the object W is conveyed, the lower surface of the object W does not come into contact with the non-slip portion 16, and the operator can easily and smoothly move the object W to be conveyed in the same direction as the conveyor 2. ..

The transport means 21 of the transport device 1 may be configured as shown in FIG. 10, for example, in order to achieve more stable transport of the object W to be transported.

The transport means 21 shown in FIG. 10 has a rotating frame 61 as a second support attached to the support frame 27 as the first support so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction around the support shaft portion 60. The rotating frame 61 is also provided with a plurality of, for example, two free rollers 28. Therefore, in the one shown in FIG. 10, the transport unit 30 is composed of five free rollers 28, which is larger than that shown in FIG. The support frame 27 is provided with three first free rollers 28 as the first transport unit, and the rotating frame 61 is provided with two first free rollers 28 as the second transport unit. , A continuous transport surface is formed by these five free rollers.

Further, the support frame 27 is a stopper as a regulator that allows upward rotation of the support frame 27 of the rotation frame 61 by engaging with the recess 62 of the rotation frame 61 and restricts downward rotation. Part 63 is projected.

Then, in the first state of the transport means 21 shown in FIG. 10A, the downward rotation of the rotating frame 61 is restricted by the stopper portion 63, so that the five free rollers 28 are at the same height position. Only the upper end of each free roller 28 protrudes above the mounting surface 13 of the carriage 3.

When the support frame 27 rotates together with the rotation shaft 26 from this state, the support frame 27 and the rotation frame 61 both rotate around the rotation shaft 26, and when the support frame 27 rotates by a predetermined angle, the most downstream free roller 28 moves. The support frame 27 abuts on the installation surface 5, and after the abutment, the support frame 27 rotates around the rotation shaft 26, and the rotation frame 61 rotates relative to the support frame 27, whereby FIG. 10B is shown. It becomes the state shown in. Therefore, since the support frame 27 rotates to a predetermined position, the uppermost free roller 28 also comes out from the opening 10 of the carriage 3, and the upper end of the uppermost free roller 28 is from the lower surface 11a of the carriage body 11. Is also located below. Therefore, the transport means 21 is in the second state of allowing the carriage 3 to travel, and the carriage 3 can be traveled in the ejection direction and taken out from the carriage insertion region 43.

Further, in the above embodiment, the transport device 1 has been described as being used when the transported object W is transferred from the conveyor 2 to the trolley 3, but the transported object W is transferred from the trolley 3 to the conveyor 2. The first mounting portion is not limited to the conveyor 2, and may be, for example, a stand (stage) or the like. Therefore, in the embodiment, since the object W to be transported is replaced with respect to the transport direction at the downstream end of the conveyor 2, the transport direction of the conveyor 2 is the transfer direction, but the transfer direction. Is not limited to this, and any direction in which the transported object moves between the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion can be set as the remounting direction.

Further, the transport unit 30 of the transport means 21 is not limited to a non-drive type made of a free roller, and may be a drive type one made of a drive roller, for example.

Further, the transport unit 30 may be composed of, for example, a belt, a roller, a ball, or the like instead of the transport roller, and the bogie 3 is not limited to the dolly bogie, and various bogies such as a basket bogie can be adopted.

Further, the first positioning body 41 and the second positioning body 42 may be integrally connected to each other, for example, or may be integrally provided on the base body 23, or may be provided from a plurality of members located at intervals. It may be formed.

Further, the support may be combined not only by a pair of frames that support the free rollers, but also by a frame to which the free rollers are fixed and a frame that further supports the frames.

Further, the object to be transferred W, which is the object to be transferred, is not limited to a container group (article group) in which a plurality of containers are stacked, and may be, for example, one article, and the type of the article may be used. do not have.

1 Conveyor 2 Conveyor which is the first mounting part 3 Cart which is the second mounting part
13 Placement surface
21 Transport means
22 Drive means
23 Base body
26 Rotating shaft
27 Support frame that is a support (first support)
30 Transport section
41 First positioning body
42 Second positioning body
43 dolly insertion area
60 Support shaft part that is a rotating support shaft
61 Rotating frame that is the second support
63 Stopper part that is a regulated body W The object to be transported X Rotation center axis

Claims (6)

It is a transport device used when transferring the object to be transported between the first mounting portion and the mounting surface of the trolley which is the second mounting portion.
A transport means having a transport unit for transporting the object to be transported,
A drive means for rotating the transport means in the vertical direction is provided.
The transport means is in the first state in which the transport portion projects upward from the mounting surface of the trolley to support the bottom surface of the object to be transported by the upward rotation, and the transport portion is mounted on the trolley by the downward rotation. A transport device characterized in that it is in a second state that allows the carriage to move without protruding above the mounting surface. The means of transportation is
A rotating shaft that rotates with power from the driving means,
The transport device according to claim 1, further comprising a support provided on the rotating shaft to support the transport portion. A first positioning body provided along a direction parallel to the transfer direction, which is the moving direction when the object to be transferred is transferred, and which abuts on one of the plurality of side surfaces of the trolley.
It is provided with a second positioning body that abuts on the other side surface orthogonal to the one side surface at a position away from the end portion of the first mounting portion.
A part of the rotating shaft, the support, and the transport portion are located in the carriage insertion region surrounded by the end portion of the first mounting portion, the first positioning body, and the second positioning body in a plan view. ,
The transport device according to claim 2, wherein the other portion of the rotating shaft and the driving means are located outside the carriage insertion region and on the side of the first positioning body in a plan view. The rotation center axis of the rotation axis intersects in the transfer direction,
The transport device according to claim 3, wherein the carriage enters or exits the carriage insertion region along the rotation center axis. The transport device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the transport means and the drive means are supported by one common base body. The transport unit has a first transport unit and a second transport unit that form a continuous transport surface.
The means of transportation is
A rotating shaft that rotates with power from the driving means,
A first support that supports the first transport unit, is provided on the rotation shaft, and rotates together with the rotation shaft.
A second support that supports the second transport portion and rotates with respect to the first support is provided.
The first support has a rotation support shaft that rotatably supports the second support and a regulator that regulates the downward rotation of the second support.
In the first state, the downward rotation of the second support is restricted by the restricting body, and a continuous transport surface is formed between the first transport portion and the second transport portion.
In the second state, the second support rotates upward with respect to the first transport portion, and the first transport portion and the second transport portion are located below the mounting surface of the trolley. The transport device according to claim 1.

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